Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, so I've been interested in darts for a while but haven't taken the step to invest. Well I've decided I want to try it out and want to start with auratus. From what I've read they are a good beginner frog and hell, I think the green and bronze are a nice looking frog. I've researched caging, breeding, etc. but I wasn't able to come across how to determine sex. From my understanding tincs and other species can be sexed though variations of the front and back toes, does this hold true for auratus as well? I'm gonna hit the Anahiem show this weekend and just want to walk in prepared to make a decent purchase. If I do well with the first few animals I'm sure I'll expand the collection however I don't really have the means to house 8-10 animals in hopes on getting a few solid pairs. Any tips before I go? Thanks for any input!

Well I can tell you what I was told about the green and bronze. They are very shy and rarely come out of hiding. (this coming from people with great darts and mantellas and that are very well known here in Canada). But they are a gorgeous frog. Leucs are also great beginner frogs, very bold and call loudly. Just a tought.
-----
I think my frog owns a megaphone....

White's tree frogs : 1:1:0
Mantella viridis : 1:1:2

Yeah, I've read that some of the morphs are more shy that others but from my understanding G/Black and G/Brone are pretty bold, and even if they are on the shy side that's still ok.

About the only way I know to sex auratus is to hear a male calling and locate him. The females are supossed to be a bit more plump in the gut, and the males more slender, but I have four blue auratus with all of those features among them, and after 8 years, they are quite decidedly all females. I've never heard any calling or witnessed any breeding activity, although I did find some eggs once. Patrick Nabors told me that sometimes female auratus will lay eggs without a male around. Of course, they aren't fertile.

One sexing trick someone told me about and demonstrated at a frog show, was with some species, (demonstrated with D. tictorius) in a deli-cup for shipping, you can rotate the cup, and the males will raise their heads, while the females will lower theirs.

Females are supposed to be fatter in the gut, and generally bigger than males. This is very hard to determine, although in time you may develop and "instict" for it. I've been pretty good at it so far, pairing out my pumilios, but it also could have been sheer accident. After I had two of them paired up, the one I thought was the female was calling to the one I thought was a male. So while I did manage to pair male with female, I had them reversed. In any event, they are raising babies.

I wouldn't worry about breeding at first. Just enjoy the frogs and the show they put on, get some experience with just keeping them. The best way to learn stuff is to observe them.

-----
Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
6 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
7 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
5 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
6 P. terribilis mint and organe
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus
2 P. lugubris

Sorry, I lost the point and posted pictues of some Pumilios. I really meant to show a few of my auratus ladies in a slapping contest.

-----
Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
6 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
7 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
5 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
6 P. terribilis mint and organe
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus
2 P. lugubris